Fruit collecting chute for ladders and the like



May 9, '1944.

R; THOMAS FEUIT COLLECTING CHU'IE FOR LADDERS AND THE LIKE Filed. April 7, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor w vh M Thomas May 9, 1944'.

R M THOMAS FRUIT COLLECTING GHUTE FOXQ LADDERS AND THE LIKE Filed A rilv, .194; {Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 9, 1944 FRUIT COLLECTING cHUTE-FoR AND THE LIKE LA DllE ItS Ralph M. Thomas, Stockton, Calif. Application April 7, 1943, Serial No. 62,148

4 Claims. 1 (01. 228-1) The present invention relates to a ladder attachment which is so constructed and mounted as to provide a novel mode and means of gathering picked fruits.

Under ordinarily existing circumstances especially constructed gathering and pickers bags are employed. These bags are cumbersome and thus often unwieldy to handle, especially for the inexperienced hand. Moreover, ascending and descending ladders charged with the additional responsibility of lugging the gathering sack or bag is a laborious task indeed.

Confronted with the difficulties attending present-day methods of fruit picking and gathering, I have observed the need for the use of a simple and expedient chute which can be mounted directly on one of the uprights of the ladder and which is so constructed as to assume a handy and feasible position to promote desirous results and to likewise save time and conserve energy on the part of the picker.

From the foregoing it is evident that I aim to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive ladder attachment which when properly construoted and positioned constitutes an innovae tion, serving not only to function as a gathering and disposal chute,but also as suitable to effectively accommodate the ever-changing point of placement of fruit into the chute, this depending on the position or elevation of the picker on the associated ladder.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following descrip tion in the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, that is a front View, showing a conventional fruit pickers ladder with the gathering attachment applied thereto, said attachment being constructed in accordance with the structural and functional principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the assemblage seen in Figure 1, that is, a view in elevation observing the structure from left to right.

Figures 3 and 4 are detail sections on the planes of the lines 33 and 4-4, respectively, of Figure 1.

In the drawings, the conventional ladder is denoted by the reference character A and the improved attachment is distinguished therefrom and denoted by the numeral 5. The ladder frame includes the customary steps or rungs B mounted between uprights C and D. I have described these parts merely to bring out the fact that I take advantage of using the uprights or wooden side piece C as one of the component parts of the attachment 5.

Said attachment is, broadly, in the nature of a fixed Vertically extending chute having means to conveniently place the fruit therein and other means to receive and conveniently dispose of the collected fruits. The intake or filler means is shiftable, that is perpendicularly variable according to the position of the picker 0n the steps of the ladder.

I accomplish these results through the medium of a frame structure made up of the aforementioned ladder side-piece C and a parallel frame piece 6. This is of a length corresponding to the ladder and between it and the side-piece I provide short cross or transverse boards or pieces 1 and 8 to complete the bounding frame.

Mounted in this fixed rectangular frame are rollers 9 on suitably journaled shafts Ill, these rollers constituting pulleys and being within the vicinity of the cross-boards l and 8. An endless belt II is trained over the pulleys and confined between the longitudinal frame members 6 and C. This encloses the structure suificiently to define the chute. That is to say, the flights of the belt coact with the pulleys and frame parts to define a vertically elongated closure which I cal lthe chute. The advantage in using a shiftable belt is evident due to the fact that the intake hole l2 in the belt (see Figure 4) has associated therewith an external suitably inclined intake funnel l3, and the funnel has an attaching rin or collar It to facilitate fastening to the belt and positioning of the funnel in alignment with the intake hole I2. This part I3 also serves as a handle and may be grasped by the picker as he ascends or descends the ladder. In this Way the belt can be moved and the funnel can be shifted up or down in relation to the position of the picker on the steps of the ladder. Thus the funnel is ever-present and conveniently positioned to enable the picker to drop the fruit from his hands into the funnel to descend into the chute and to gravitate toward the bottom of the chute. At the latter point I provide a receiver and disposal part. This comprises a unit embodying a receiving hopper l5 having a lateral disposal branch "5 extending outwardly through the opening in the side member 6. The part I6 is declined outwardly to facilitate gravitation of the disposed products into a collecting box or bag or the like. In practice the interior of the hopper I5 is suitably padded, or the entire unit may be composed of such maincluding a frame structure and a shiftable enclosing belt for the frame structure provided with a fruit entrance opening, and a hopper type receiver having a discharge elbow and an intake funnel, said intake funnel being disposed between the flights of the belt, the elbow extending laterally outwardly through the frame structure.

2.. A ladder attachment comprising a substantially rigid non-collapsible vertically elongated chute adapted to be fixedly mounted on one of the side members of the ladder, said chute including a frame structure and endless belt enclosing means for the frame structure, a receiver in said chute having a discharge elbow, and an intake funnel on said belt, the funnel being shiftably adjustable with the belt in the manner and for the purposes described.

3. In a structure of the class described, a chute embodying a frame including pulleys, and an endless -belt trained over the pulleys and provided with an intake opening and a delivery funnel carried by the belt and in alignment with said intake opening.

4. An attachment for fruit pickers ladders and the like comprising a frame having end rollers constituting pulleys, an endless belt trained over said pulleys and enclosing th pulleys and cooperating with the frame structure to coact therewith in defining a chute, an opening in the belt adapted to accommodate the entry of fruit, a funnel attached to the belt and in registry in said opening, said funnel being adjustable with said belt, a hopper on the interior of the frame structure enclosed by the belt and serving as a receiver, said hopper having a discharge elbow.

RALPH M. THOMAS. 

